Hethod and appabattts fob nitbogen fixation



May 1, 923; 1,453,435

c. H. BUETTNER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NITROGEN FIXATION Filed Nov.1"r-, 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 1 G. H. BUETTNER METHOD AND APPARATUS FORNZTROGEN FIXATION Filed Nov. 1%, 1921 s Sheets-Sheet 2 May 3', 1923.

c. H. BUETTNER METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR NITROGEN FIXATION Filed Nov. 1'7

1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 Patented May 1, 1923.

CHARLES H. BUE'ITNER, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

' IETHOD AND APPARATUS. FOR NITROGEN FIXA'IION.

Application filed November I7, 1921. Serial No. 515,844.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I. CHARLES H. Bpn'rr- NPR, a citizen of the UnitedStates, res ding at Cincinnati, in the county of Hamilton and State ofOhio, have. invented certain new and useful Improvements in Methods andApparatus for Nitrogen Fixation, of which the following is aspecification.

My invention relates to improvements in method and apparatus tosynthetically produce nitric acid and other nitrogen compounds. One ofits objects is to providev simple and reliable method and apparatus bymeans of which nitric acid and alkaline nitrates as for instance calciumoi potassium nitrate. may be economically produced directly from the airor by employing air apd water at the place where the nitrates are,required to be applied to the soil for agricultural purposes, as forinstance by employing wind or wave power; or similar widely .availableand inexpensive source of elfihctrical power. Another object is toprovide an im-' proved method of electrical distribution over anextended liquid surface. Another object is to provide improvedapparatusto effect a reliable electrical distribution over 'an extended liquidsurface. provide improved method and mean to quickly reduce thetemperature of the g tises and to chemically fi x the nitric and nitrousor nitrogen compounds formed before they have an opportunity todisintegrate or revert to theiroriginal condition. My 1nvention alsocomprises certain method steps and order of procedure, and certaindetails of improvements in apparatus, all of which will be fully setforth in the description of the accompanying drawings in which:

Fig. 1, is a'diagrammatic view illustrating my improved apparatus forcarrying out my improved method.

Fig. 2, is a diagrammatic view illustrating a modification of Fig. 1.

Fi 3, is a diagrammatic view illustrating anotEer modificationl Fig. 4,is a sectional detail illustrating another modification.

Fig. 5, is a sectional detail taken on line 5-5 of Fig. 1.

The accompanying drawings illustrate the preferred embodiments ofmyinvontion in Fig. 1 of which 16 represents a direct current circuit,17 a rheostat to regulate the direct current, 18 a voltmeter and 19 an,ammeter in said direct current. sent a serles of electricaltransformers of .which circuits are Another object is to trate thenitrates or 20, repre the spark coil type in which an interrupted directcurrent is supplied to a low tension primary coil to induce analternating current of relatively high potential in a secomiary coil. 1am thus enabled to provide a plurality of independent high potentialalternating circuits 21. 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26 respectively providedwith spark gaps 27 across which the current is designed to leap in rapidrelatively hot sparks through the ordinary atmosphere or other mixtureof oxygen and nitrogen. A

series of metallic terminals 28, preferably of a metal which is notreadily corroded, ate provided above the spark gaps, while a bod orstream of water or preferably alkaline water forms the lower sparkterminals.

The current of water is allowed to flow from a vat or storage reservoir29 slowly through a valve controlled conduit 30 to a container 31 inwhich are preferably provided a series of pools 32 and cascades leadingfrom one pool to another. From the last pool 32 the water charged withnitric acid nitrous acid or alkaline nitrates and alkaline nitritesoverflows through a forked conduit 34 and 34' provided with valves 35and 36 by means of which the overflow liquid may be directed to areservoir 37 from which it may be pumped through conduit 38 back to thereservoir 29 to be again passed thrbughthe container 31 to increase thepercentage of nitrates or nitrites therein.

When the strength or percentage of nitrates is sutiicient, the liquid isdischarged into the reservoir 40 instead of to the reservoir 37. Fromthe reservoir 40 the liquid may be used directly for fertilizerpurposes, or may be drawn 0 to be treated to concento otherwise make usethereof.

I also preferably provide for a more or less active circulation of airthrough the container from the port 42 to the conduit 43. A blower 44 ispreferably employed to create a circulation of air and to .draw the aircharged with nitrates and nitrites from the interior of the container 31through the conduit 43 to below the surfaoe'of 'a body of alkalineliquid in the container 45 where the nitrates and nitrites are absorbedfrom'the air current intothe liquid of container 45- and. the strongliquid thereof conducted are preferably orerthetovcrflow-X rt 'edawaytlil'mlgltconduit 71f}, hemadoisp rtl'ullg liquor slorama are awaythrough the overflow conduit -16 for sparks pass from terminals 85 tothe liquid concentration or use. 1, 1 Y 011' the face 'of plate 89. Inthe several In the modification Fig. 2;47, represents ,figai'es"92represents insulating material to the primary coil of annlternatingcurrentlainsulate the metallic' terminals and support transformer and50, 51. 52, 53, and 54-re rethena in position. The intimate relations ofseatindependent secondary coils to re ace .i the'Sparks and the liquidtend to absorb the a series or independent circuits of a ternatyproduct-before at reversion or ilt-composiing current of relativelyhigh potentiah55r tion of the prodnctran take place. Also- :ii'. 5%, and59 which high tension circuits: are connected u to the respectivemetallic terminals 6!) ant to the containers 610011- taining the liquidp00ls62. '.The 'respe'ctiv containers 62 are connected in-an overflow orcascade. series by means ofthe overflow lfOlltlllltSli which eomlucttheliquid sncces ively fromone to another of the container and finallydischarge the strong" liquor into either" reservoir (3-1 from \vhichyitmaybe pumped lHll'lC to theisupplyreservoir?Q5, through thecondait660.01 to resergoir' fi from which thestrong liqnor'gis conductor awayto be made use of. The terminals- 'theliqnidetends to exert a rapidcooling effect inthe immediate neighborhood of each "park and also astrong tendency to absorb and-fix the product. If desired nitrogen andoxygen mixed in proportions other than thoso commonly found m,theiitmosphere mayahe'em lo edz Q I I I 'rh ametmi [and apparatusherein illusrat'uland'described are capable of considerlblemodificationwithoat departing from the pirit of my invention; Y i What Iclaim is: V .lgThe method of nitrogen-fixation which gxygen to anelectrical discharge between a plurality of electrical terurinals eachin an ndependent electrical circuit and a body of rater, and absorbingthe fixation products ntosaid-hody of water.

2.;The method of nitrogen lixationiwhich omprises.sahjectingmixednitrogen and "yeah to: the action of a plurality ofelecicaldischarges each in an independent elecical circuit and passed between abody 1 wateraiula plurality of electrical ter- 'na ls 1U] jacent ther-to.

The method of nitrogen fixation which ompi'iscssubjecting atmosphericair to the iction of a pluralitv of electrical discharges i" inan{imlcm'ndent electrical circuit and v lghjsaidzair between a body ofso as to cause the sparksito strike the liquid as it is in the actoforabont to'floui down the conduits 63. A Stl'ltSUf air polftsflftisandairconduits 72 providefor Clll l'ent S 'O v air through the severalcontainersto -"the reservoirs!) where the.uitratcsand nitrite. carriedinthe'air are-absorbedinto-the liquid of reservoirl'itl 'aml thefairipassm through the blower and \t astedt. lTh strong liquor fromreserroir (35) is-conduct In the modification Fig.3, the-transforrne issubstantially as shown and describedafol Fig. 2, and provides aplaralityofiiulepen (lent secondaryy circuit "and 78 provide; -a'ch"witl tall i e n plumlity oiclectrical terminals nalf'ifi. and with'zrteriun 'djiici' l'it tlie retoah arq,

i v I giul t plllliilltyflf electrical termi'na 8 each upper end ot theterminal so andllm u an ndependent electrical circuit and adownwardlyover the exterior thereof III at; body-of alkaline water,andahsorbing the thin-film where itis exposed to tlle.atmos-" fixationproducts into said body of water.

phcre and to the. sparks which leap through. I 5. The method of nitrogenfixation which the. atmosphere from the several terminals -comprisessubjecting mixed nitrogen and T9 to the terminal 80. The St-longdiqnmoxygen to the action of a, plurality of elecoverllows from the lowerportion of thejcon-itrical spark discharges each in an Independtainer 2through a conduit 83. ;:Lent electrical circuit and passed between a Inthe modification Fig. -t independent body of alkaline water and aplurality of secondarycircuitsof high potential as shown? electricalterminals adjacent thereto. 7 and described for Fig. l. and 2aroapp'lied- 6. The method of nitrogen fixation which to the severalterminals Sarrangcd wilhina icompriscs subjecting atmospheric air to theculltilim'l' Qti'which forms the opposite tcr actionrof'a plurality ofelectrical?sparlc'dis-- minal and is common to allof thesceondaryargcscach in an imlelamlcnt electrical cir- .'circuits. The alkalineliquid is supplied uit and passed through said air between a i'odyoflalkaline water and a, plurality of from supplyresciwoir 87' throughcondn to container 86 l'romwhich it-overflows .lcctricail'terminalsadjacent thereto in a thin lilm across the fplatc or llangefi 7.,Tholmcthod offinitrogen fixation which and flows down the overflowconduitftmto onlprisc nsubjcctinkz mixed nitrogen a d w voir; l; xyg enaim comprises/subjecting mixed nitrogen and- \fll lto'sgiil'i'electrical sparlrdischar oboaltaneously in the, pre ence.ofa. a

body of water to the action of a plurality of independent electricalcircuits of high potential to pass a plurality of electrical dischargesthrough said mixed nitrogen and oxygen between said body of water and aplurality of independent electrical terminals.

8. The method of nitrogen fixation which comprises subjecting mixednitrogen and oxygen simultaneously in the presence of a body of alkalinewater to the action of a plurality of independent electrical circuits ofhigh potential to pass a plurality of electrical discharges through saidmixed nitrogen and oxygen between said body of water and a plurality ofindependent electrical terminals.

9. The method of nitrogen fixation which comprises subjecting mixednitrogen and oxygen to the action of a plurality of electrical sparkseach in an independent electrical circuit and passed between a body ofwater and a plurality of electrical terminals adjacent thereto, andcausing a circulation of mixed nitrogen and oxygen gas across the faceof said body of water to remove a portion of the fixation products forthe subsequent"recovery thereof.

10. The method of nitrogen fixation which comprises-subjectingatmospheric air to the action of a plurality of electrical dischargeseach in an independent electrical circuit and passing between a body ofwater and a plurality of electrical terminals adjacent thereto, causinga circulation of atmospheric air across the face of said body of waterto remove a portion of the fixation products and subsequently treatingthe air so removed from the face of said body of Water to recover thefixation products therefrom.

11. The method of nitrogen fixation which comprises subjectingatmospheric air to the, action of a plurality of electrical dischargeseach in an independent electrical circuit and passing through said airbetween electrical termlnals in pairs, circulating and removing said airfrom between said electrical terminals and treating the air so removedto recover the fixation products therefrom.

12. An apparatus for nitrogen fixation comprising a bodyof waterconstituting an electrical terminal common to a plurality of electricalcircuits, a plurality of indecirculation of mixed nitrogen and oxygengas across the face of said body of water to remove a portion of thefixation products for the subsequent recovery thereof.

14. The method of nitrogen fixation which comprises subjecting mixednitrogen and oxygen to the action of a plurality of electricaldischarges each in an independent electrical circuit and passed betweena body of flowing water and a plurality of electrical terminals adjacentthereto.

15. An apparatus for nitrogen fixation comprising a body of water inmotion to carry away the fixation products and constituting anelectrical terminal common to a plurality of electrical circuits, aplurality of independent electrical circuits of relatively highpotential each having an electrical terminal adjacent to said body ofwater to enable a plurality of electrical discharges to'be passedthrough a mixture of nitrogen and oxygen and between said body of Waterand said respective circuit terminals.

In testimony whereof I have aflixed my signature.

CHARLES H. BUETTNE'R.

